Packing and shipping case for fragile and perishable articles



April 5, 1932.

M. V. TREMBLAY PACKING AND SHIPPING CASE FOR FRAGILE AND PERISHABLE ARTICLES Filed Jan. 22,

2 Sheets-Sheet Z lib-mum W mm W,- l/UK"? 49, "f wt,

Aprll 5, 1932- M. v. TREMBLAY PACKING AND SHIPPING CASE FOR FRAGILE AND PERISHABLE ARTICLES Filed Jan. 22, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Apr. 5, 1932 MARIA V. TREMBLAY, F WILLIMANTIG, CONNECTICUT PACKING AND SHIPPING CASE FOR FBAGILE AND PERISHABLE ARTICLES Application filed January 22, 1931. Serial No. 510,566.

This inventionrelates to certain new and useful improvements in packing and shipping cases for fragile and perishable articles.

The primary object of the invention is to {i provide packing and shipping case for fragile and perishable articles in which the article is held in suspension and in spaced relation to the walls of the case and adjacent articles as a protection against breakage or injury to the articles during handling shipping or display. 7

A further object of the invention is to employ tor the suspension of the article, a water-proof transparent material known as cellophane with each article separately encased in the cellophane in an air-tight condition to remain unali'ected by temperature changes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a packing and shipping case for fragile and perishable articles to be held in suspension in the case by the use of -cellophane7 material of tubular form, with the tube twisted between each'article contained therein to provide separate air-tight and non-communicau ing compartments with the ends of the fcellophane tube clamped between sections of the case with the articles held in suspension and spaced from each other and also the walls of the case, it being understood that the sectional case is so designed as to permit nesting of any number of cases for economyof space in shipping and also that suitable provision is made for securing together the sections of a single case. r V With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nai ure oi' the invention is better understood, the same con sists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings 7 Figure 1 is a top plan view of a packing and'shipping case constructed in accordance with the present invention showing eggs suspended in a tube of cellophane material, supported at its ends in the case with portions of the tube between the eggs'twisted to provide separate compartments and for spacing the eggs from each other Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the two mating sections of a case with the ends of the cellophane tube clamped be.- tween the case sections with the intermediate portion of the tube carrying the articles, held in the sections;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1 showing a cross bar in one case section for the support of the twisted portion of the tube between the articles suspended therein and binding wires or cores for the twisted portions with a nested arrangement of cases illustrated by dotted lines;

Figure 4 is a top plan view showing another form of case designed for the support of egg cartons;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectionalview of the case shown in Figure 4, with the cartons shown in elevation and illustrating intermediate suspension straps for the egg cartons;

Figure 6 is a top plan View of a circularcase for the support of eggs or perishable articles in a circular arrangement;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken .on line 7-7 of Figure 6 showing the sections of the circular case with the articles suspended by the inner and outer edge walls thereof;

Figure 8 is avertical longitudinal sectional view of a case similar to Figure 1, with the transverse supports removed and showing an article of glassware or the like'suspended therein by the use of cellophane tubing with a pin cli for attaching the sections of the case toget er;

Figure 9 is a perspective view showing a lacing connection between the end walls of the case sections;

Figure 10 is a perspective view showing a pin or staple connection between thesections;

and

Figure 11 is a'perspective view showing an encircling cord connection between the case sections. 7 i

Referring more in detail to the accompanyingdrawings and particularly Figures 1 to 3, there is illustrated a case for packing and shipping of fragile and perishable articles, such as fruit, vegetables, glassware or the like, this form of the invention being illustrated as carrying eggs, the casing being of rectangular formation and formed of mating sections 1 consisting solely of side and end walls, open at the top and bottom, the upper edge of each section being rabbeted as at 2 at its outer side while the lower edge of each section is rabbeted as at 3 on its inner side forming mating angle walls permitting nesting assembly of the two sections.

The articles to be suspended in the packing and shipping case may be of any character and the elements for carrying, suspending and supporting the articles in the case is preferably of tubular form and comprised of material known in the trade as cellophane which is both water-proof and transparent as well as being air-tight when in sealed condition, the tube of cellophane 4, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, having spaced eggs 5 contained therein with sections of the tube 4 between the eggs 5 twisted as at 6 to provide non-communicating pockets in the tube and to hold the eggs separated one from the other. The ends 4a of the tube extend the upper rabbeted edges of one section to be clamped by the mating rabbeted edge of the other section of the case as shown in Figure 2. A tying device such as a wire or cord 7 is associated with the twisted portions 6 of the tube with the ends thereof clamped between cooperating rabbeted edges of the case sections as shown in Figure 3 and, to provide a support for the intermediate portions of the tube at the twisted sections thereof, one of the sections is provided with cross-arms 8 anchored at their ends to the side walls of the sections. The upper and lower open sides of the connected sections 1 of the case may be closed by cardboard or other plates 9 and said cases may be assembled in nested relation as illustrated by dotted lines in Figure 3. It will be observed that by the twisting of the cellophane tube 4, separate noncommunicating compartments are provided therein for the reception of articles to be shipped, each compartment being practically airtight and that the article therein, such as an egg as shown in said figure, is suspended in spaced relation to the walls of the case and from each other, it being possible to subject a case of this character to comparatively rough handling with liability of breaking or injuring the articles greatly reduced.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5, the case comprises sections 1a designed for the support of the usual cartons 10 containing one dozen eggs, each compartment being carried by a cellophane tube 11 having the ends clamped by mating rabbeted edges of the case sections-1a as shown at 12. To provide a support for the intermediate portions of the cartons 10, straps are interlaced with the cartons as shown in Figures 4 and 5 with their extended ends clamped between the case sections, and the sections 1a of the case shown in said figures have removable covers associated with the open sides thereof and the cases may be assembled in nested formation if desired.

Another form of the invention is shown in Figures 6 and 7 wherein a circular case is provided and comprises inner and outer walls 14 and 15 connected by circumferentially spaced radial ribs 16, eggs being illustrated as supported between the inner and outer walls 14 and 15 in cellophane bags 17 having their ends 17a clamped between the sections of the circular case as shown in Figure 7, closure walls being provided for the open side of the compartment between the ribs 16. The difference between each rib 16 is sufficient for the suspension of two eggs as shown in Figure 6, so that each circular carton may carry one dozen eggs.

The invention is well adapted for the shipment of articles such as glassware or the like, a pedestal glass 18 being shown in Figure 8 within a cellophane tube 19 that has its ends 19a clamped between the case sections 16.

The sections of the case may be secured together in any convenient manner, several different devices for accomplishing this purpose being shown in Figures 8 to 11, the case sections as shown in Figures 8 and 10 having openings 20 therein to receive wire staples 21, the heads of which are received in depressions 22 formed in the outer sides of the sections 1?) to permit the staples 21 to lie flush with the outer faces of the sections. As shown in Figure 9, the case sections 10 carry pins 23 upon the end walls thereof with which a lacing wire or cord 24 is associated, while in Figure 11, the casing sections lcZ have the side walls thereof grooved as at 25 for the reception of encircling cords 26. In each form of the invention, it will be observed 7 that the article carried by the packing and shipping case is held in suspension and is clearly viewable through the water proofed transparent cellophane carrying element and as considerable strength is embodied, a

material of that character, the articles to be packed and shipped are safely carried and injury thereto, such as breakage or the like is greatly reduced or eliminated.

While there are herein shown and described 7 the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim 2- Means for holding articles in suspension in shipping cases wherein the case is formed of sections, said case comprising sections provided with mated rabbeted edges whereby a plurality of sections may be assembled in nested formation, spaced cross strips carried by each section at the upper edge thereof to be positioned at the juncture of two nested sections intermediate the upper and lower ends of the two sections, a flexible container for an article having its ends clamped between the mating sections, said container being twisted between articles therein to provide separate substantially airtight non-communicating compartments with the twisted portions supported on the cross strips, and tie rods associated with the twisted portions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MARIA V. TREMBLAY. 

